


Blood or Water

by FairyNiamh



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of a Case, Crimes & Criminals, Favor, Gen, No Sex, indecent proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-01
Updated: 2014-06-01
Packaged: 2018-01-27 21:33:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1723259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyNiamh/pseuds/FairyNiamh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lizzie asks a favor and Red contemplates the importance of blood and water.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood or Water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alisanne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/gifts).



> No Beta. 
> 
> Thanks to alisanne for hooking me up with this lovely show.

Reddington resisted the urge to twitch his back as he sat there and went over the events that had occurred. His scars ached, a sure sign that it was going to rain soon. Perhaps even physically, instead of the metaphorical tsunami brewing along the edges of his playground.

He looked at his watch and noted that his charge was running late. A common fallacy for her. One he wished he could break her of; he wasn't worried though. Dembe and his men were keeping a careful eye on her.

He wondered if Cooper and his merry band of misfits would tell her that her husband wasn't as dead as she had reported. Red knew he should have put a bullet in the idiot's head. It would surely save Elizabeth further heartache.

When he had pulled her from the fire, he took up the mantle of protector. With his life, he could not be a father; that title was well beyond his reach. Not that it mattered. He had heard the saying that blood was thicker than water. Blood, however, can become poisonous. It could be spilled and left behind without a second thought. Water, well without water... you die. It was a scientific fact. Besides, with the correct chemicals, water could replace blood. It could even turn into blood.

He looked up just as a harried Elizabeth walked into the door.

"Sorry, had to stop and grab a bite to eat. Cooper is working us to death. Anyway, I'm not sure why I am here. There was a sighting of Berlin. Well, a reported sighting. Supposedly, he was at the Library of Congress. Which makes no sense. He knows that he's being hunted, why would he get that close to the lion's den?"

"Perhaps, he needed a book to read," Red said with a small smile.

"I'm serious. Why would he risk being caught? What is he planning?"

Reddington sighed and looked out the bay window. "I'm as much in the dark about his movements and motivations as you are. When I know something, I'll let you know."

Elizabeth just slumped in her chair, "Raymond, I… have a favor to ask."

Red tilted his head to the side, a silent indicator that he was listening and would consider her request.

"Meera Malik," Elizabeth said simply and sadly.

"What about her?"

She took a deep breath and stood. Too nervous to sit down and have a simple face to face conversation.

"Look, she has… had two young children."

"I know. What do they have to do with your request?"

"Is… is there someone who could take them and keep them safe? They're innocent children and they don’t deserve to get lost in the system."

"The government will do their best to place them with their remaining living relatives," Red said simply and carelessly. Pushing Elizabeth to see if this was something she was truly ready to accept.

"No, I can't…"

Reddington shrugged as he asked; "Why not? They need their family at a time like this."

"Look, Meera brought them here to have a better life. I don't want to see her hopes for them go down the drain."

"You could always adopt them Lizzie," he suggested with a large smile.

She gave a humorless laugh and finally just stopped and looked at him. "I would be a terrible mother."

"Ridiculous, I believe you have the capacity to love any child placed in your care."

"Maybe, but I'm not in the right place for adopting children. Please, is there any way you can help?"

"What you are requesting; is highly illegal and some would say immoral."

Elizabeth just grinned at his words. "Why do you think I asked you?"

Red sighed and slipped his hat back on before standing. "I'll see what I can do. You'll have an answer within 48 hours."

"Thank you," she said earnestly.

Red gave a quick grin and walked out of the room leaving Lizzie behind. Blood or no blood between them, he would do as Lizzie requested, because he liked the thought of being part of her life sustaining water. It just seemed so much more important than blood.

Forty-eight hours later, the Malik children were reported missing. The manhunt for them lasted for more than a month before the case was put on the back burner and declared a cold case.

Three years later: Lizzie smiled as she looked at the letter from her 'niece and nephew'. Chantelle and Sebastien were doing just fine and were more than happy with their environment in France. She needed to do something nice for Raymond. After all, it was nice having someone that she could depend on, and who would watch her back. 

 

~Fin~


End file.
